On the Other Side of the Lake
by RoundaboutNow
Summary: It is impossible to track time in the Lake of Souls, Darren had the misfortune of learning for himself. If he hadn’t blindly reached the other end of the lake, what should have been the muddy floor, he would have spent eternity submerged in hell. Now, he's given the choice to start life over on the other side of the Lake or to continue suffering in the murky waters.


Darren wasn't sure how long he drowned in the lake. A day, a month, ten years? Who's to say? He could not tell if water had filled him long before, burning his lungs and stealing his breath, or if it had only happened moments ago, he could still make it to the surface, could still meet air once again.

Darren brawled with the water.

His efforts made no difference. This was death and Darren knew it. He could not see up or down, but the memories of his past, his mistakes, and his joys. It was the joy that hurt the most. He could not remember playing with his sister without knowing the pain he would inflict. He could not see the Cirque at its prime and ignore it's future. He couldn't even make peace with his fate, unaware if his death had ended the war or enraged it.

He wept for his allies and his friends, his family- and Steve. His tears added to the salty water that made up the lake. He wondered, perhaps that was all that the lake was, nothing but the tears of the damned.

Time passed. At least, Darren thought it did. The memories wound their way through him, as the water pushed and pulled. He no longer struggled against the tide. He did not bother holding his breath. He expected only his own history to crash down on him.

And then his hand met a chilly gust of wind. Maybe it wasn't wind, merely air, but in the water, he could tell no difference. As cold as it was, it was not the suffering he felt in the lake, and Darren pushed himself out of the water.

Floating at the surface, he hacked some of the water from his lungs and rubbed it from his eyes. And he blinked.

The world was quiet, save for the gentle sway of the lake. There was no sky or terrain, nothing - but on the shore, someone sat, smiling wickedly, waiting for Darren.

He used the last of his strength to swim across to the man, if they even were a man. It didn't take long, but once Darren got to the shore, he was once more out of breath. He pulled himself, not onto dry land, just out of the water once and for all.

"Hello, little vam~pi~re," the creature laughed.

Darren laid beside them, deep breaths jarring his body. He curled into himself to maintain as much heat as he could in the cold, empty world. "Where," he asked weakly, "Are we?"

"Where?" They simpered. "We're at the Lake of Souls, little vam~pi~re. You know that."

Darren shuttered. Of course he knew that much. "What's beyond the Lake?"

"Nothing," They answered. "There is only the Lake. If you were an alchemist, there would be a gate, but you are not."

The vampire peeked at the entity he was speaking with and quickly looked away. They were disturbing- a faceless, featureless creature, and yet they managed a cruel, chaotic grin.

"And what are you?" Darren asked.

"I am God. I am everything. I am you. Call me what you will," they said, "But I am Truth."

Darren shivered. "Now what?"

Truth leaned back, considering the boy's question. "Now," they said, "I'd like to offer you a new life. You may not have a gate, but that doesn't mean you cannot start over on the other end of it."

"Do you mean, like heaven and hell?"

"For a vampire?" Truth laughed. "Never. No, you will be a new monstrosity altogether, the living dead, a homunculus!"

Darren hummed, unsure what that meant, doubting that he'd like it. He said, "Will I remember my old life?"

"Do you want to?"

His heart writhed, but he said, "Yes."

Truth's lips twisted into their chaotic grin once more. "Sweet dreams," they laughed.

And it was dark.

...

Darren woke soon after, tears puddling at his cheek. It was dark, even as he opened his eyes, but he could make out a figure across the room.

He sat up, a bit dizzy, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

The man, who Darren could now see was sitting on a throne, stirred at his movement.

"Hello, Despair," he said, voice warm and welcome. "I'm Father."


End file.
